Please help

[Thebigman2001]

Hello, i got a baby veiled chameleon on Friday. He is 3-4 months old and he is perfect. He isn't agressive, drinks, and doesn't get bothered easily. But I have been having a problem with his eating. I'm feeding him meal worms but it appears he isn't eating them. I tried cutting them in half but he won't eat. Should I start feeding crickets to him?

 

[alphakenc]

YES,thats correct ,chameleon attracting to any movement,as you can see in their eyes...mealworm is not that great for him,gutloaded cricket,dubia and silkworms are far better choice,hope this help...God bless.And other great help from the good people in this forum should be on the way to give you the better advice soon.

 

[kinyonga]

What is the basking temperature? Crickets are a good feeder...they are readily available and easy to gutload, feed and care for as a rule. Just make sure you use the appropriate size...the cricket should be the size to fit in the chameleons mouth easily...usuallybsaid to be as long as the width between the chameleon's eyes.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

Temps can effect his feeding. Being if they're to low his metabolism slowed down and he doesn't feel the need to eat. Also yes, they're attracted to movement. Try crickets, dubias, or superworms. He may not be registering them as food. I feed my 4 month old veiled large crickets (bigger than the gap between her eyes) and she eats and digests them just fine. That varies on your Cham on whether or not it can eat it or not. It will know.

 

[Thebigman2001]

What is the basking temperature? Crickets are a good feeder...they are readily available and easy to gutload, feed and care for as a rule. Just make sure you use the appropriate size...the cricket should be the size to fit in the chameleons mouth easily...usuallybsaid to be as long as the width between the chameleon's eyes.

The

What is the basking temperature? Crickets are a good feeder...they are readily available and easy to gutload, feed and care for as a rule. Just make sure you use the appropriate size...the cricket should be the size to fit in the chameleons mouth easily...usuallybsaid to be as long as the width between the chameleon's eyes.

the temperature is usually around 80 degreesdegrees

 

[Thebigman2001]

YES,thats correct ,chameleon attracting to any movement,as you can see in their eyes...mealworm is not that great for him,gutloaded cricket,dubia and silkworms are far better choice,hope this help...God bless.And other great help from the good people in this forum should be on the way to give you the better advice soon.

Thank you for the help. I am new to this and I want to keep my chameleon as healthy as possible so I'm looking for the best for him

 

[JGuinan007]

Where did you get your veiled? Perhaps you can find out what they were feeding it. Young chams usually aren't picky eaters and have a ferocious appetite and will try to eat anything (well smaller than its head) it can fit into it's mouth. I agree with Nicholasdeaan you should check your temps and make sure your feeding live food the more movement the better. Have you read this yet? https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

 

[alphakenc]

Thank you for the help. I am new to this and I want to keep my chameleon as healthy as possible so I'm looking for the best for him

Sounds like you already on your way,we all here to learn and share,Im still learning in this long journey,its the love and joy that drive us thru,all we can do is try our best and reaching to a higher goal,we can't go lower than where we at,but we can always climb higher than where we are,correct me if I am wrong,belive the higher power of God,after all he is our creator.

 

[Thebigman2001]

Where did you get your veiled? Perhaps you can find out what they were feeding it. Young chams usually aren't picky eaters and have a ferocious appetite and will try to eat anything (well smaller than its head) it can fit into it's mouth. I agree with Nicholasdeaan you should check your temps and make sure your feeding live food the more movement the better. Have you read this yet? https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Got him from petco

 

[Wowbango]

The

the temperature is usually around 80 degreesdegrees

80 degrees is not hot enough for a veiled. you should be closer to 90 degrees. Also, they will NOT eat dead feeders. So cutting the worms in half won't do anything except make him ignore them. Definitely try and mix up the feeders, using crickets, dubias, silkworms etc is a good way to mix it up. As a veiled, they'll eat greens as well, so collard greens, hibiscus and some fruits and veggies are good for them as well.

 

[NickyChameleon]

80 degrees is not hot enough for a veiled. you should be closer to 90 degrees. Also, they will NOT eat dead feeders. So cutting the worms in half won't do anything except make him ignore them. Definitely try and mix up the feeders, using crickets, dubias, silkworms etc is a good way to mix it up. As a veiled, they'll eat greens as well, so collard greens, hibiscus and some fruits and veggies are good for them as well.

Basking temp of my 5-7 month old female veiled is 85-90, 70 on the other side of the cage and drops down to 60-70 at night.

 

[ChamDE86]

He may also still be adapting to his new environment. My guy didn't eat anything for a few days upon arrival.

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

You can run lower temps for female veiled along 80-84 degrees. Males tho should have higher temps. Only reason being lower on the temps for females is it prevent such large clutches and less of them.

 

[Thebigman2001]

80 degrees is not hot enough for a veiled. you should be closer to 90 degrees. Also, they will NOT eat dead feeders. So cutting the worms in half won't do anything except make him ignore them. Definitely try and mix up the feeders, using crickets, dubias, silkworms etc is a good way to mix it up. As a veiled, they'll eat greens as well, so collard greens, hibiscus and some fruits and veggies are good for them as well.

I just put crickets with vitamins and he ate about 7 crickets